Artest, Jackson suspended for off-court problems

Last Updated: Saturday, July 14, 2007 | 4:18 PM ET

CBC Sports

The NBA is the latest professional sports league to get tough on bad behaviour.

Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson received seven-game suspensions Saturday from the NBA for their most recent run-ins with the law.

Ron Artest pleaded no contest in May to a misdemeanour domestic violence charge, the latest in a string of off-court problems for the combustible Sacramento King.
(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Jackson, a six-foot-eight Golden State Warriors swingman, pleaded guilty last month to a felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside an Indianapolis strip club during an altercation last fall, when he played for the Indiana Pacers.

Jackson, 29, was ordered to pay a $5,000 US fine and perform 100 hours of community service.

Artest, a six-foot-seven small forward for the Sacramento Kings, pleaded no contest in May to a misdemeanour domestic violence charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a string of off-court problems for the combustible defensive ace.

Artest was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, fined $600 and ordered to undergo extensive counselling.

Artest and Jackson were Pacers teammates in November 2004 when they were involved in an ugly brawl with fans during a game in Detroit. Artest was suspended for 73 games and the playoffs — the NBA's harshest punishment for a fight — and Jackson was suspended for 30 games.

In January, Artest had one of his dogs seized after Placer County, Calif. police received complaints that Artest was not providing his pets with adequate food.

The suspensions handed down by the NBA on Saturday echo recent moves by the NFL to clean up players' off-field behaviour.

In May, the NFL suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam (Pacman) Jones for the entire 2007 season, and gave Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry an eight-game ban for their numerous run-ins with police.

Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson later received an eight-game suspension of his own after spending two months in jail for violating probation on a gun charge. Johnson was subsequently cut by the team.